Obama’s Congrats Caller: Christie

President Barack Obama and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie look at storm damage along the coast of New Jersey from Marine One, on Oct. 31, 2012.

Chris Christie, who last year dashed many Republicans’ hopes by turning down pleas to challenge President Barack Obama, says he had one word for Obama during a phone call last night: Congratulations.

And Republican Mitt Romney, the man he endorsed a full year before the election, raised millions in cash for, stood with at campaign stops across the country and delivered the keynote address for at the party’s convention?

The New Jersey governor says he sent him an e-mail yesterday.

“We didn’t have a political strategy discussion. I said, `Congratulations on your win last night, Mr. President,’ and he said, `Thank you,”’ Christie told reporters today at a National Guard Armory in Franklin Township.

The two have spoken regularly, sometimes twice a day, since New Jersey was battered Oct. 29 by superstorm Sandy battered the state. It was during one of these calls last night that the outspoken New Jersey governor offered the congratulatory words to Obama.

Christie’s decision last week to praise Obama for his response to Sandy, which has been blamed for at least 24 deaths and widespread blackouts in New Jersey, has been attacked by some in the party as a contributing factor in Obama’s victory. “It was hardly an embrace,” he later said.

He also blamed disgruntled Romney staffers for planting a story that he’d snubbed him days before the election.

Asked if he’s spoken to Romney since his loss, Christie said: “No; we exchanged e-mails last night,” Christie said. “We haven’t spoken on the phone yet.”